How the net closed on Prescott | Media | The Guardian Media How the net closed on Prescott The deputy PM's latest tangle is the first big British political story to be driven by bloggers, reports Patrick Barkham, while, Guido Fawkes defends their role Monday 10 July 2006 04.26 EDT First published on Monday 10 July 2006 04.26 EDT Share on Messenger Close 'I think it's called the internet or something - blogs is it? - I don't know, I've only just got used to letters John, I haven't got used to all this new technology." If John Prescott really barely knew what a blog was it seems odd he put his name to a "Prescott Express" battlebus blog during the 2005 general election. Whatever the truth of his blustering to John Humphrys, the beleaguered deputy prime minister certainly knows what a blog is now. Bloggers have basked in a higher profile than ever before in the scandal over Prescott's links with US billionaire Philip Anschutz.

Prescott himself has suggested the scandal has been a "dirty tricks" campaign fronted by bloggers, their strings pulled by journalists or Conservative Central Office. Have the blogs really driven the story? What is the relationship between bloggers and journalists? Is the growing influence of bloggers a boon for democracy? Or is it a reckless deskilling of journalism, where rumours are published and reputations besmirched without any supporting evidence? Prescott's stay at Anschutz's ranch first surfaced online when the Guardian's Westminster correspondent David Hencke reported their secret meeting on Guardian Unlimited's Westminster Weekly podcast on June 29. Two days later, traditional "big media", in the shape of the Times, broke the story to a wider audience and first suggested there had been wrongdoing on Prescott's part. The scandal developed a new strand when blogger Guido Fawkes named Prescott's alleged third mistress who, he claimed, threatened to sue the Sun if it dared publish allegations of the affair. The Mail (and Fawkes proudly publishes server logs showing how many hits he gets from Associated Newspaper computers, along with the BBC, Conservative Central Office and others) then published a story headlined: Prescott facing fresh embarrassment over net rumours of two more affairs.

Dirty tricks Suddenly, Prescott was on the front pages. The Independent ran a story which could go down in British political history as the first case of politician blaming blogger. "It is the black arts," a Prescott "ally" was quoted as saying. "They are running a dirty tricks campaign and they are being used as a conduit by journalists." Then, on Thursday's Today programme Humphrys took up the bloggers' preferred side of the scandal and questioned Prescott seven times about whether he had other affairs. In the US, "attack blogs" have led the way in a number of political scandals. Senator Trent Lott resigned in 2002 after his comments apparently supporting racial segregation appeared on blogs. Another scalp was Dan Rather, the CBS anchorman, who resigned after bloggers revealed a news story questioning President Bush's military record was based on forged documents. Aggressive US blogs have also fronted some spectacular smear campaigns, as the BBC's political editor Nick Robinson pointed out in his blog. Swift Boat Veterans for Truth attacked John Kerry's war record, successfully denting the Democrats' presidential candidate in 2004. Blogs have proved effective in disseminating nasty rumours without politicians' hands getting dirty.

Both bloggers and mainstream media agree the British political blogosphere does not pack America's punch. "British political bloggers have not yet proved to be able to land that devastating blow in the same way as American blogs have done," says Georgina Henry, editor of the Guardian's Comment is free blog. "It's going to be some time before the politicians pay court to political bloggers in the way they do in America." But, she says, month by month, UK bloggers are growing in readership and influence. None more so than two iconoclastic right-of-centre bloggers, Fawkes and Iain Dale. "If Prescott was a soap star on a second-rate TV show he would have had more scrutiny of his sleazy affairs than he has had to date," Fawkes wrote on his blog. Fawkes - a nom de plume for libertarian conservative and former Tory activist Paul Staines - gives the impression he is hugely enjoying his role in the scandal, boasting of blogging whilst enjoying long lunches on holiday in France. He argues that "lazy" lobby journalists missed the Prescott story. Robinson has also taken to his blog to point out that many bloggers like Dale peddle a particular political agenda.

Bloggers, he wrote, are now "trying to make the political weather" by reporting "unsubstantiated allegations" and then claiming "the mainstream media - and, in particular, the BBC - are not covering an alleged 'scandal'". Both Fawkes and Dale are unrepentant. Of course they try to make the political weather, they argue. Before it was cowed by the Hutton report, the BBC used to do the same. Bloggers demand neglected stories are covered again. Dale is proud that a modest Mail on Sunday story about Cherie Blair signing the report to raise funds at an auction was ignored by other papers until he got the blogosphere heated up about it. His blog entry: "It's Up to the Blogs to Make it Hit the Fan." Blogs were involved in pushing forward the peerages scandal and Dale claims a number of Charles Kennedy exclusives. "I wrote about drinking, which all the mainstream media had shied away from. It was an open secret in Westminster and yet it was being kept from the rest of the country. That is what is behind the current furore about what Guido has done.

We know the parliamentary lobby has its own set of rules." Cosy establishment Another of bloggers' charge is that big-media journalists lazily pinch stories they break. "On any given day, you will find on Ephraim Hardcastle, the Londoner's Diary and other diary columns two or three stories that they will have got - totally lifted - from me or Guido," says Dale. "No attribution or anything." At least bloggers, he argues, link back to wherever they first read a story. Dale also says several tabloid journalists telephoned him with snippets from Tracey Temple's diary which the Mail on Sunday had not published when that scandal broke in the spring. He obliged, of course. As conduits for Westminster gossip, are blogs really doing anything new? Blogger Paul Linford - a former lobby journalist who now writes a left-of-centre blog - points out that in the old days journalists would call Private Eye when they could not get a story in their paper. The Eye would publish allegations others dared not touch. Now journalists, or politicians, can use blogs. This trading of stories makes bloggers seem part of the supposedly cosy establishment they rail against.

But, much like the relationship between politicians and lobby journalists, like between bloggers and mainstream media is characterised by fear, loathing and suspicion. Most lobby journalists believe bloggers are the antithesis of responsible journalists. "My view is what they are doing is completely indefensible," says a lobby correspondent (not at the Guardian) who has reported the Prescott scandal. "They are hindering, not helping the story. There are serious issues being discussed but they see it as a cheap publicity stunt to get their names in the media. The issue is why Prescott is so close to a billionaire - but now he is able to claim it is all a rightwing smear campaign. I talk to bloggers and I use them but they print stuff they've got no evidence for. That can't be right." Hencke feels bloggers represent a type of "deskilling". They make wild allegations not based on fact and ignore the first law of journalism: that you put allegations to the person you are writing about. Libel laws - not politician/journalist collusion - are what stop the publication of unsubstantiated rumours.

Our libel laws are tougher than in the US and Hencke fears it is only a matter of time before a British blogger is prosecuted (although Dale and Fawkes's sites are hosted in the US). Both Hencke and Robinson dismiss bloggers' claims of a conspiracy of silence between lobby journalists and politicians. "Bloggers say something is not being reported because we're wimps," says Robinson. "Nonsense. It's not being reported because there are no facts." Robinson says he does not see blogs as helpful or unhelpful in scandals like that enveloping Prescott. He defends Humphrys for raising the questions asked by bloggers. It would have been bizarre, he says, if he had not. But bloggers pose a challenge for mainstream media. "We've got to be careful we don't use blogs as an excuse to bypass our own standards, rules and ethics of journalism. There is a risk people can use blogs as a way to get things on air or into print they wouldn't have conventionally done themselves.

There are quicksands on both sides." · In defence of the blogger, by Guido Fawkes Go to the Oxford Union and ask our future political class who they read more often - the Times' Peter Riddell or Guido Fawkes' blog? Next ask them who they trust more? It is no contest. With 200,000 hits a month and rising, my politics blog is more trusted than the Times' pompous political columnist. Following my revelation of the name of another Prescott mistress, Paxman on Newsnight ranted at Tory blogger Iain Dale about "unsubstantiated allegations". Is this the same Paxman who, when he interviewed Charlie Kennedy, asked if he spent nights alone in the company of a whisky bottle and asked why he was getting married at all? What substance did he have beyond gossip and hearsay? The Times' Danny Finkelstein worries about anonymity, which is a bit rich given his leaders are unsigned, though you can usually spot his "put me on the A-list please" signature tone.

The BBC's Nick Robinson claims bloggers have an agenda and are attempting to set the political weather, which is also rich from a man who glories in saying "the BBC understands" as he reports a juicy leak fed to him by unnamed sources, without telling you whose agenda he is serving in return for the exclusive. Failing to hold our political class to account is the failing of Big Media in Britain. It is no surprise that Tracey Temple was exposed by the Mirror journalist who usually focuses on Kate Moss's latest outrage, not by its political team. The press holds celebrities to account better than it does our political class. But the days of media conglomerates determining the news in a top-down Fordist fashion are over. The news is no longer what Paxman and Robinson say it is. Big Media is going to be disintermediated because technology has drastically reduced the cost of dissemination. And don't think I'm some outsider blogging in his pyjamas - every broadsheet diarist has taken stories from my blog. My sources are the thousands of political junkies who come to the blog for gossip. Younger, more savvy journalists whose stories get spiked are probably my best sources.

My agenda, as I channel the ghost of Guido Fawkes online, is to expose the hypocrisy and lies of our political class, something the lobby seems reluctant to do, craven and beaten down into submission by the need for "access" and titbits doled out by party machines. Peter Mandelson, Alastair Campbell and now David Cameron play this with skill. Papers are sent to Coventry for upsetting them. The cold is a terrifying place for a lazy lobby journalist. I'm warm here in France. John Prescott - IMDb IMDb Actor John Prescott was born on May 31, 1938 in Prestatyn, Denbighshire, Wales as John Leslie Prescott. He is an actor, known for MPs: Behind Closed Doors (2016), Question Time (1979) and The Cars That Made Britain Great (2016). He has been married to Pauline Prescott since November 11, 1961. They have two children.

See full bio » Born: a list of 163 people created 03 Jun 2011 a list of 174 people created 04 Jul 2013 Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of John Prescott's work have you seen? User Polls 2010 Gavin & Stacey (TV Series) John Prescott - Episode #3.6 (2010) ... John Prescott (uncredited) Hide 2017 Good Morning Britain (TV Series) Himself - Interviewee - Episode dated 3 January 2017 (2017) ...

Himself - Interviewee (as Lord John Prescott) 2011-2017 Breakfast (TV Series) 2016 MPs: Behind Closed Doors (TV Movie documentary) Himself - Narrator (voice) 2016 The One Show (TV Series) Himself 1985-2014 Question Time (TV Series) Himself 2013 Through the Keyhole (TV Series) Himself 2011-2013 This Week (TV Series) Himself 2012 Frontline (TV Series documentary) Himself 2012 Room 101 (TV Series) Himself - Episode #3.7 (2012) ... Himself (as Lord John Prescott) - Episode #2.3 (2011) ... Himself (as Lord John Prescott) 2011 Strictly Come Dancing (TV Series) Himself - Audience Member 2011 Ask Rhod Gilbert (TV Series) Himself 2011 10 O'Clock Live (TV Series) Himself - Former Deputy Prime Minister - Episode #1.12 (2011) ...

Himself - Former Deputy Prime Minister (as Lord Prescott) 2009-2011 Loose Women (TV Series) Himself 2011 Top Gear (TV Series) Himself 2011 Pete Postlethwaite: A Tribute (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2010 Dispatches (TV Series documentary) Himself 2009 Hell's Kitchen (TV Series) Himself 2008 The F Word (TV Series documentary) Himself - Episode dated 24 June 2007 (2007) ... Himself (as John Prescott MP) - Episode #2.16 (2006) ...

Himself (as John Prescott MP) 2007 Blair: The Inside Story (TV Series documentary) Himself - Deputy Prime Minister 2006 The Politics Show (TV Series documentary) Himself 2005 News 24 Sunday (TV Series) Himself 2005 Election Night (TV Movie) Himself - Deputy Prime Minister 2001-2004 Breakfast with Frost (TV Series) Himself 2001 Vote 2001 (TV Movie) Himself - Deputy Prime Minister 2001 60 Minutes (TV Series documentary) Himself - Deputy Prime Minister (segment "Shoot the Fox") 1997-2001 The Sunday Programme (TV Series) Himself 2000 When Louis Met...

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(TV Series documentary) Himself 2007 Comedy Connections (TV Series documentary) Himself 2004 25 Years of Question Time (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1999-2003 Room 101 (TV Series) Himself 2003 The Deal (TV Movie) Himself (uncredited) 2003 The Real Room 101 (TV Movie documentary) Himself (uncredited) 2001 60 Minutes (TV Series documentary) Himself - Deputy Prime Minister (segment "Shoot the Fox") 1995 Westminster's Secret Service (TV Movie documentary) Himself John Prescott MP | Rt Hon John Prescott MP | Lord John Prescott | Lord Prescott Height: Did You Know? Personal Quote: There's something you should know about Brian Mawhinney , in case you bump into him. He always get very ratty if you don't call him Doctor. This began to puzzle me, since he's the only doctor I've ever met who makes everyone feel sick. See more » Trivia: Backed Iceland during the 1970s UK fishing dispute with Iceland known as 'The Cod Wars'.

See more » Nickname: John Prescott's attack on the English language - Telegraph Labour John Prescott's attack on the English language John Prescott has launched an impassioned attack on two of his greatest enemies – Charles Clarke and the English language. John Prescott making another media appearance on The Politics Show earlier this year Photo: (PA: Jeff Overs/BBC) By Melissa Kite, Deputy Political Editor 7:24PM BST 02 May 2009 The former Deputy Prime Minister gave a bravura performance on Radio 4’s Today programme as he got stuck into Labour rebels making trouble for Gordon Brown. His rambling rant was vintage Prescottese. With jumbled syntax he managed to suggest that he undressed a crowd of students and that Tony Blair’s famous election pledge card was brought out in 1967. Presenter John Humphrys began by asking him why he was currently touring Britain in a bus. Mr Prescott told the BBC show: “A bus is a good way to get over to campaigning. You know I’m into Facebooks and all that kind of new technology now. But I’m into face to face. You’ve got to go out in the market square.

“I undressed 450 students yesterday with Ed Miliband and Eddie Izzard and I did 300 last night. Related Articles John Prescott attacks Gordon Brown critics 02 May 2009 “You have got to talk to our people and when I hear Charles Clarke saying it’s a shame, I have got to say ... bit of dayjay vu. They were the same people who crawled out of the woodwork last September, told us they were finished, Gordon should go. “Clarke actually did apologise later and said he thought he’d got it wrong. Now he’s back at it again. I just say to them, for God’s sake stop complaining and get campaigning. “We’ve had great difficulties. If you go out in the market square, like in Liverpool, if you know here, they are asking all these questions about allowances, about Gurkhas, quite properly so, and you have got to answer them and in public as well. “But what I do say, let’s make sure we get the big decisions right. I know you are a bit of a half glass man, half empty not full ...

Just turn back, you will hear them, when you have had the Americans saying there were signs that we are getting recovery both in America and here. Now, they are the big decisions, John, that and climate. “Keep your eye on the big decisions and think about some of those. One, about whether it’s boom or bust. If you look at the 10 years, we didn’t have the 10 years of the Tories where you did have boom and bust. John, John, there were millions unemployed, there were millions into poverty. I don’t know what you are talking about. “If you look at that card we produced in 1967 which I often bring on. I could give it you again and that card said what we would do and we delivered on it, largely due to Gordon Brown and Tony Blair. If you look at the actual point of the regulation, Gordon did bring in regulation. He was the man who used to warn us in Cabinet 'if I can’t get the I-arm-F and the EU and the World Bank to recognise we need to change the finance’. He constantly complained he couldn’t get it done. By God, when we got the collapse they wanted to listen to Gordon Brown.

Capitalisation, the building of the stimulus in the economy and now as we heard from President Obama an independence here. “It’s beginning to turn and that regulatory framework wasn’t tough enough. Have a bit of perspective about it. “Concentrate on the big decisions, really, that is get the economy right, climate change coming up this year. He’s working hard for that. The big decisions are right but I hear people say 'I don’t like this smile’. For God’s sake do you go on an aeroplane, talk to the pilot and ask if he’s got a smile or not? Can he land the plane? “It’s still a bit of a problem, the McBrides and all that, what was his name, I can’t remember now, doing that stupid email. They are still a bit of a problem. “We have been making problems, as David Blunkett and Charles has said, and Charles, if you are ashamed to stay in the party it is obvious what you should do isn’t it? If you can’t work in it. I am really staggered when I hear a Labour MP that when come through this record and after all Charles has been in Cabinet, David has been in Cabinet. They are in and out.

They out themselves. Stop complaining and start campaigning. I asked David to come campaigning and he said he couldn’t because he was going to a football match. Fine. But then you make a speech in Doncaster attacking. “What I’m saying is, have the debate amongst ourselves, do the issues, have the debate, and David, come and join me on the campaign for God’s sake. Charles, well, he’s not a campaigner. “I’m out here facing the public, getting on with the case and that’s what Labour’s got to do. Just put out proud of our record. That’s what the go forth campaign is all about. And with Alistair tonight up in Keighley, Glenys in Manchester, MPs, junior ministers, Rosie Winterton, John Healey ...” At this point John Humphrys ended the interview saying: “I’m not going to let you go through the whole list.” James Prescott (1500-1583) | WikiTree: The FREE Family Tree Prescott-42 created 13 Dec 2010 | Last modified 20 Apr 2016 This page has been accessed 924 times.

Biography Married Elizabeth Alice Standish in 1528 daughter of Robert Standish Event Military AUG 1564 Kept horseman and armor in readiness by order of Queen Elizabeth Issue of James Prescott, senior, and Standish. James, bap. ; m. Alice Molineaux. For his bravery and military prowess and achievements he was created lord of the manor of Dryby in Lincolnshire, and had new arms granted to him, and was afterward known as Sir James Prescott. He d. March 1, 1583, leaving a son John and a daughter Anne. Roger, bap.; m. 1st, Elizabeth , in 1563, She dying soon, he m. 2d, Ellen (?) Shaw of Standish, Aug. 20, 1568. He resided in Shevington in the parish of Standish. His will was dated Sept. 26, 1594, and he was buried in the church at Standish. Ralph, bap. ; d. young. Robert, bap. ; m. Feb. 3, 1565, Elizabeth Nightingale.

He resided at Standish, where he d. in 1576, leaving sons John and Robert, and dau. Elizabeth, who ra. Alex. Standish. (?) William, bap. ; he had three wives ; by his 2d wife, Margaret, he had, with others, Alexander Prescott of London, who was the father of Sir John Prescott, lord of the manors of Radwington in Essex, and Bromley in Kent counties. Sir John died in 1640, leaving two daughters, co-heiresses. William (6-5) resided at Copley in the parish of Standish, in Lancashire. John, bap. ; m. Anne ; resided at Sutterby in the county of Lincoln ; by his wife Anne he had an only daughter, Anne, who m. William Boston of Phimbleby, in the county of Lincoln. From “Who Begot Thee? Some Genealogical and Historical Notes Made in an effort to trace the American progenitors of one individual living in America in 1903” By Gilbert O. Bent, 1903.

James Prescott, who married a Standish, was of Standish in Lancashire, Eng., in the time of good Queen Elizabeth. An order of Her Majesty, dated August, 1564, directs him to keep in readiness horsemen and armor." Origin and Meaning of the Name of Prescott. The name of Prescott is of Saxon origin, and is composed by the contraction of two Saxon words, priest and cottage, and therefore signifies priest-cottage, or priest's house.* The name of Prescott has long been known in England. It was given to a street and a lane or place in the ancient city of London. Prescott is also the name of a market town in Lancaster county (or Lancashire), England, 198 miles from London, and about one mile from the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, containing 34,920 acres and 28,084 inhabitants (according to Kelley's Gazetteer). It is celebrated for the manufacture of watches and watch tools. About 2,000 persons are also engaged in the collieries, and it supplies Liverpool with fuel. Those of the name that emigrated to this country originated, or their ancestors originated, from this town in England.

Orders of knighthood were conferred upon some branches of the family, and they were among the nobility of England. A metallic coat of mail and armor, such as were worn by ancient knights, was brought to this country by the emigrant John Prescott, which will be more particularly noticed hereafter. There is also preserved by the descendants in this country (America), a family coat of arms which was conferred upon one of the remote ancestors for his bravery, courage and successful enterprise as a man and as a military officer. This coat of arms must have had quite an ancient origin, as they are worn both by the Prescotts of Theobold's Park, Hartfordshire, Barts., and by those of the ancient families of Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is described in the language of Heraldry by Mr. Burke as follows : " Sable, a chevron between three owls, argent (two in chief, one in base). Crest, a cubit arm, couped, erect, vested, gules. Cuff, ermine, holding in the hand a pitch pot (or hand beacon), sahle, fired proper." * The first mention we find of the name is in the 11th vol., pp.

29, 30, of Thomas Rymer's Foedera, under the title " Supra Aquse ductibus de Confirmatione," as follows : " Coram Dominus H. de Patershall, Domini Regis Thesaurario — MagistroWaltero de Prestecote, Vice Cancellario, et als." ; wherein a confirmation of a grant made concerning aqueducts of the city of London, by H. de Patershall. treasurer to the king, is addressed to Walter Prescott, vice chancellor, and othei's (named). But although we are not able to trace the direct lineage of the Prescotts that came to America farther back than the time of Queen Elizabeth, yet it is well known that Prescott was known as an ancient family in the town of Prescott aforesaid, in the county of Lancaster, or Lancashire, England, from whom descended James Prescott of Standish, in Lancashire, one of the gentlemen of Lancashire who were required by an order of Queen Elizabeth, dated August, 1564, to keep in readiness horsemen and armor. Sources Prescott, William. The Prescott Memorial : or, A genealogical memoir of the Prescott families in America.

In two parts (H. W. Dutton & son, 1870) Private Messages: Contact the Profile Managers privately: Elizabeth Patterson , Donald Gradeless , Robert Garcia , and Elliott Burke . (Best when privacy is an issue.) Public Comments: Login to post. (Best for messages specifically directed to those editing this profile. Limit 20 per day.) Public Q&A: These will appear above and in the Genealogist-to-Genealogist (G2G) Forum . (Best for anything directed to the wider genealogy community.) On 14 Oct 2015 at 16:31 GMT Jimmy M. Sisson wrote: Prescott-469 and Prescott-42 appear to represent the same person because: They are representing the same man, except PRESCOTT-469 is not Sir James, it was his son that was known as Sir James. Also the son died in 1583.

I have JAMES 2 PRESCOTT ROGER PRESCOTT Birth 20 AUG 1528 • Shevington Twp., Standish Parish, Lancashire, ENGLAND Death OCT 1594 • Shevington Twp., Standish Parish, Lancashire, ENGLAND who married 23 Aug 1568 • Shevington Twp., Standish Parish, Lancashire, ENGLAND ELLEN SHAW On 2 Oct 2013 at 17:33 GMT Philip Smith wrote: You may have missed the proposed merge – it is on the bottom left of the profile. Thank you. On 2 Oct 2013 at 17:33 GMT Philip Smith wrote: You may have missed the proposed merge – it is on the bottom left of the profile. Thank you. James is 15 degrees from Kevin Bacon, 43 degrees from Domingo Ghirardelli, 26 degrees from Ronel Olivier, 27 degrees from Rosa Parks and 18 degrees from Queen Elizabeth II of the Commonwealth Realms on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.

Donald Trump is the new John Prescott – you underestimate him, and then he decks you Donald Trump is the new John Prescott – you underestimate him, and then he decks you 27 April 2016 • 11:00am John Prescott and Donald Trump Credit: Ian Forsyth/ Barcroft Media/UPI/Getty Images/ It was only a couple of months ago when Donald Trump said he would like to punch a protester in the face . Of course, 15 years ago another senior politician did so – it was John Prescott. A demonstrator, with a mullet haircut, lobbed an egg at Mr Prescott, who was, lest we forget, Deputy Prime Minister. At the time I was closeted on a Liberal Democrat campaign bus when word seeped through about the “Rumble in Rhyl”. “There was only one punch. Tony Blair rang me and he said 'Are you OK?' and I said 'Yes'. I was just carrying out your orders. You told us to connect with the electorate, so I did.'” John Prescott The initial reaction was one of disbelief. Then a senior Tory – I think it was Michael Ancram – said that the Conservative party did not believe in punching demonstrators.

One assumes that was the view held by the political establishment in general. Yet strangely Labour’s poll ratings were boosted by Mr Prescott’s swift left jab, and one suspects the same would happen to Mr Trump should he ever get close enough to a protester to deck him. Pugilistic prowess, real or imagined, is not the only similarity between the two men. Both are numbingly inarticulate. Only last month Carnegie Mellon University analysed Mr Trump’s speeches and found he used the grammar normally employed by children under 11. John Prescott’s syntax has always been somewhat eccentric. Yet again, being devoid of the conventional oratorical skills of professional politicians has hardly done either man any harm. Their shoot-from-the-hip style has served only to boost their reputations as men from outside the “establishment” – whatever that might be. Moreover, while stringing together a few sentences appears to be a challenge, both are rather effective politicians with far more of a grip on the realities of government than they have ever been given credit for.

To his eternal credit John Prescott was one of the first of Labour’s senior politicians to grasp the reality that the party was going to win an election and that it would be taking over the reins of power, doing a lot of work on transport and the environment before even taking office. “I have many women at high positions. I, you know I've gotten a lot of credit for that, I mean I have so many women working for me, and so many women in high positions working for me, and I've gotten great credit for it.” Donald Trump, grammarian Whatever one thinks of Donald Trump’s wall across the Mexican border, he has gone into considerable detail about how it would work and how he believes he could force Mexico to pay for it. His website even drills down into the minutiae of legislation he would use – it is section 326 of the Patriot Act, if anyone wants to know. When it comes to health, there is also a detailed Trump plan. Out would go Obamacare; instead, insurance companies would be able to compete nationwide for business. Drug companies, which have until now been able to charge exorbitant prices, would lose their protection from foreign imports which could sell the medications for a lot less.

John Prescott with Tony Blair at the 1994 Labour conference Credit: Clare Arron Health insurance premiums would be tax allowable and individuals would be able to use Health Savings Accounts – with suitable incentives – to build up a nest egg to cushion the cost of care in later life. Whether this would work is for others to debate. But what is impressive is the level of detail in his policy proposals. As Deputy Prime Minister one of John Prescott’s tasks was to sort out the mess of the Millennium Dome, which had become a financial disaster and political embarrassment. It was a story I covered, and found that those working with him – including political opponents – were rather impressed by his grasp of detail. One Conservative described him as a “good operator” with a far better understanding of the detailed practicalities of day to day government than Tony Blair. Watch | Donald Trump: "We've run one of the great campaigns ever" 01:57 There have already been signs that Mr Trump is, like Mr Prescott, “preparing for government” – just in case he defies the odds and gets the job. He has admitted that he will need a politically savvy vice president to tackle the intricacies of Washington to get things done.

He has promised to hire “ the brightest minds ” to work alongside him, even though the first batch who were announced last month left many in Washington rather underwhelmed. Of course John Prescott did have to overcome more obstacles to climb to the top – or almost the top – of the political poll. It would be fair to say that life is tougher for a former waiter on a cruise liner than a billionaire who started out with a tidy inheritance of, according to some estimates, of at least $100 million. But there is rather more substance to both men than their critics are ready to admit. 19 Jan 2017, 7:16pm Live Premium 19 Jan 2017, 6:24pm Premium 19 Jan 2017, 6:22pm BBC ON THIS DAY | 16 | 2001: Prescott punches protester About This Site | Text Only 2001: Prescott punches protester The Labour Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, has punched a protester who threw an egg at him during a visit to Rhyl in north Wales. The undignified brawl happened as the Labour deputy stepped off the so-called Prescott Express campaign bus.

Television pictures clearly showed Mr Prescott aiming a left jab at a man after being hit on the side of the face by an egg. The two men were then involved in a scuffle before the police intervened. Craig threw an egg at Mr Prescott, who was walking past after getting off the battle bus. Then Mr Prescott grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and thumped him. Protester's girlfriend A 29-year-old man was taken away in handcuffs. He was later identified by his girlfriend as Craig Evans, a farm worker from Denbigh. The woman, who did not want to be named, said: "He's a placid lad who has never been in trouble. "Craig threw an egg at Mr Prescott, who was walking past after getting off the battle bus. Then Mr Prescott grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and thumped him." Mr Prescott said: "I was attacked by an individual. In the melee that followed I clearly defended myself.

I believe that someone is now being questioned by the police and it would be quite improper and quite wrong to add any further comment." The television pictures of the incident appear to show Mr Prescott trapped against a wall after his left fist flew and he and the protester became locked together in a struggle. The deputy prime minister, who was clearly shaken, was then led into the theatre where he was due to address an election rally. Assistant Chief Constable Clive Wolfendale said: "Clearly if there are any allegations made against him as a result of these incidents, we will investigate. If that means questioning Mr Prescott, we will do that." Today also saw the launch of Labour's manifesto in Birmingham. But that did not go quite according to plan either, after Prime Minister Tony Blair was confronted by a woman who said Labour had failed the NHS. Sharron Storer, whose boyfriend is a cancer patient, confronted Mr Blair in full view of the TV cameras, berating him for the treatment her boyfriend had received. Labour was elected in 1997 on a promise to "save" the NHS but the encounter with Miss Storer forced Mr Blair to admit he had only "just begun" to fulfil some of the promises made four years before.

The manifesto, Ambitions for Britain, has set out 10-year targets for key objectives and there are promises to spend more on education, health and transport over the next three years. Full footage of the brawl In Context A number of newspaper surveys carried out after Mr Prescott's punch suggested the public supported his actions. It earned him the nickname "Two Jabs" - a variation on the more familiar Two Jags from his apparent fondness for luxury cars. He later described the incident as "frightening and regrettable". In a news conference Prime Minister Tony Blair explained away the punch-up, saying, "John is John." Mr Prescott was interviewed by police but he was not prosecuted. The Crown Prosecution Service concluded there was not a realistic chance of convicting Mr Prescott because he had acted in self-defence. Craig Evans spent several hours in police custody no action was taken against him. On 8 June 2001 Labour won a second term in government despite a record low turn-out of less than 60%. It won 413 seats, the Conservatives took 166, the Liberal Democrats 52 and others 10.

Stories From 16 May John Prescott | Politics | The Guardian John Prescott Acting prime minister is still a long way from the top, Boris Johnson Michael White Deputies may come very close to ultimate power, but as history shows, though some attain it for themselves, many more fall by the political wayside Published: 17 Aug 2016 Ipso rejects complaint over story that he allegedly said ‘terracotta’ instead of ‘terra firma’ after he got out of a plane Published: 14 Jul 2016 Former deputy PM described ex-London mayor’s comment that Hitler was a Zionist as ‘beyond contempt’ Published: 3 Jun 2016 John Prescott, who approved UK’s tallest residential building, speaks out after Guardian reveals a quarter of flats in it are held by offshore firms Published: 25 May 2016 Actor the same as George Osborne, another ‘spoilt public schoolboy from the south kicking the north’, says former deputy PM Published: 6 Mar 2016 Long before politicians came under Twitter attack, the egg was the political protester’s favoured weapon Published: 23 Jan 2016 Letters: Now that we have a charter saying public finances must be

 in surplus by 2019-20, I’m requesting a charter saying all Sundays be warm and sunny by 2019-20 Published: 15 Oct 2015 This week it was a Tory party conference delegate who got an egg to the forehead, but this messy form of protest goes back to the middle ages.

So why, in Britain, is it nearly always eggs? Published: 5 Oct 2015 A Labour conference for activists – while Corbyn works out what to do Michael White The sun shone and the grassroots basked in the mood music, but there was little mention of the refugee crisis, Syriza, Redcar’s steel plant or the VW scandal Published: 30 Sep 2015 Lord Prescott - UK Parliament Lord Prescott House of Lords, London, SW1A 0PW Tel: 020 7219 5353 Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State May 2006 - Jun 2007 Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Local Government and the Regions May 2002 - May 2006 Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State Jun 2001 - May 2002 Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions May 1997 - Jun 2001

Question: What did the media nickname John Prescott
Answer: Two Jags